Dismounting

Lord, bring me down off my high horse to mingle with the crowd; for they will teach me to follow you completely. You are there among them, riding on a donkey, on the colt of a donkey. Up here, I’ve just been making an a$$ of myself.

A curious thing happened to Joseph on the way to divorce

So much. So much casting shame and guilt. So much accusing of conspiracy and falsehood. So much indicting for behaviors unbecoming and deeds unwelcome. So much righteous indignation. So much misunderstanding. And yet… This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but […]

Looking down

I’m jogging around a small, oval 3-lane track at the gym, so slowly, well, okay walking, in the inside lane — the one nearest the railing where you can look down on three floors of people beating themselves up to try to stave off age, time, years of inattention and just plain sluggishness — and […]

Boldness Before God is Humbling

God doesn’t concern Himself with small things, just the big stuff. You do not have, because you do not ask.  God doesn’t need my advice. You do not have, because you do not ask. God already knows what I need.  You do not have, because you do not ask.  God’s will be done. There, that […]

What would Jesus Tweet?

“Your words were a blessing.” It may have been the timing or the delivery or the situation, I don’t know. They were just words, my words, on a card or letter. Not flowery or lovely or well-heeled, but offered sincerely whenever I felt the nudge to write. After I had heard this blessing-thing from a […]

Beware the parenthetical

“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain,” belts the Great Oz. And oh how our attention goes there. Immediately, we peer behind and around or we want to, first chance we get, when no one is looking. Because when someone says, don’t look, that signals it is something they don’t want us to […]

On-going

“Come” Oh, how much heaviness there is in that word: come. Grudgingly, we drag ourselves over into the compliant pile. Hauling our stuff with us. We wipe our brow, let out a sigh and, just as we are poised to rest on our laurels God says, “Follow me” What an invitation: follow me. But I […]

Can I have your autograph?

I have been walking among giants this week. Literally. Just shouldered past Michelle Akers, FIFA female player of the century. There goes Amanda Cromwell, had coach of the 2014 NCAA national women’s soccer champions. Someone just shouted “Hey, Anson,” and I turned to see the legendary UNC Women’s coach walking behind me. Outside the exhibit […]

Breathtaking, briefly and beyond

People with a great mind are a dime a dozen. People with a great heart are few. People who use their strength in service to a great mind with great heart…priceless. I am grateful for these people. They are humble and unassuming. Like the tiny maple saplings we bought for a dollar two decades ago […]